The Experience that was Ondoy

Last Saturday (Sept. 26), my wife, Gina; my eldest child, Clare; and I braved tropical storm Ondoy. We came from our child's confirmation seminar, which lasted past 12nn. We had our lunch first in the newly opened Robinson's Supermarket in Centro Pacita. After eating and buying food for our viand that night and the next day, we headed toward home.Since the road was impassable to tricycles, we had no option but to walk. What normally would take us 15 minutes to reach our home by foot, took us almost an hour since we waded through the knee-deep water. We were shocked when we reached our subdivision's main gate because the torrents coming our way was so strong and it was the first time that we have seen such a current coming from our subdivision.

The three of us had to hold on to one another so as not to be swept away by the current. As we walked against the fast-moving water, people going our way informed us that a wall in the corner street in the direction of our house collapsed. When we heard that, the first thing that came my mind, and my wife's as well, was our two other younger children, Camille and Charm, who were left in the house with our maid and my father. Because Clare was very afraid to be swept away by the rapids, we had to leave her in a house in a nearby block whose street was not along the current's way.

Our fear for the safety of the people we left home vanished when we reached the street corner and saw that our house was still there, without any damage. Although water from the vacant field at the back of our house still overflowed in our living and dining rooms, it was nothing compared to the experience of others whose properties were totally submerged in water and whose lives were sacrificed. Though we got tired draining the water inside our house, we were still thankful that we were spared from the tragedy which befell on some of our kababayan. The experience was harrowing and we are praying that it won't happen again.